1. Field Of the Invention
This invention is directed to film-forming compositions for enveloping solid forms, particularly seeds. In another aspect, the invention relates to a process for enveloping with the aid of these compositions. In a further aspect, the invention is concerned with the seeds coated with the compositions of this invention.
Seeds are treated to promote good seedling establishment, to minimize yield loss, to maintain and improve the quality of the seeds and to avoid the spread of harmful organisms.
Other benefits derived from seed treatments include improved adhesion of any pesticidal formulation, the ability to maintain the distribution of said pesticides during the application of the treatment, improving the flow of seeds during treatment, enhancement of the appearance and perceived quality of the seeds, and greatly reducing the potential hazards from dust during treating and handling. Biological considerations for seed coatings include that the pesticides should: be consistently effective under various environmental conditions; be safe to operators during handling and sowing; be safe to wildlife; have a wide safety margin between the dose that controls harmful organisms and the dose that harms the plant; be compatible with other materials used on the seed; and not produce harmful residues in the plant or soil.
Protection of seeds and young seedlings from soil-borne pests during the early stages of plant growth is the main purpose of seed treatment. The use of fungicides and insecticides for protecting seeds and seedlings against seed and soil-borne diseases is well known and widely used. There is also the desire to develop systems containing biologically active materials and to exploit the potential of the seed as a carrier for highly targeted materials such as microorganisms, trace elements, growth regulators, and the like.
Successful and practical seed treatments should satisfy a range of commercial requirements. For example, the treatment should provide effective delivery of any active ingredient contained therein. As another example, the physico-chemical characteristics of the formulation should facilitate application to and retention on the seeds.
Additionally, a coloring agent, such as a dye is required by law in the seed coating so that an observer can immediately determine that the seeds are treated. The dye is also useful to indicate to the user the degree of uniformity of the coating applied.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a film-forming composition for seed coating. It is a further object of their invention to provide a seed coating composition with properties greater than any of the individual components of the composition.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for effectively coating seeds with this film forming composition. It is still a further object of this invention to provide final seed products obtained and coated with these compositions.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,513,019 and 4,576,646 describe a process for enveloping objects such as seeds with a composition comprising a cellulosic film-forming substance, at least one alpha-cellulose, and a suitable plasticizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,370 describes a seed coating composition which includes cellulosic film-forming polymer, a pigment, a plasticizer, and optionally, a colloidal silica and a surfactant.
British Patent No. 2,040,684A describes a method and a composition for treating seeds including an active pesticide and adhesive sticker in admixture with suspending agents, surface active agents, and other adjuvants, applied to seeds to yield seeds with an adherent coating in which active pesticidal agent is dispersed.